The Metro Classic Japanese Podcast
The Metro-classic Japanese is your perfect guide to learning about Japanese culture. Kyota Ko, the writer of the blog "The Metro-classic Japanese" explains Japan and Japanese culture from perspectives of history, geography, food, art, business, politics, philosophy and entertainment, always with a dab of humor. | Blog: https://www.metro-classic-japanese.net | Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/metroclassicjapanese/ | Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themetroclassic/
Episodes
41 episodes
Ghibli’s Spirited Away: Cultural walkthrough Part III
In this third part of this Spirited Away cultural walkthrough series, show host Kyota clarifies the mystery of Chihiro's sudden maturing and the trick Miyazaki plays in the scene where Chihiro signs an employment contract.
•
Season 1
•
Episode 3
•
8:28
Ghibli’s Spirited Away: Cultural walkthrough Part II
In this second part of the Spirited Away cultural walkthrough series, show host Kyota clarifies who all the absurd-looking monsters are and the peculiar nature of the world Chihiro wanders into.
•
Season 1
•
Episode 2
•
6:10
Ghibli’s Spirited Away: Cultural walkthrough Part I
Ghibli's Spirited Away is undoubtedly one of the best films of all time, but fully "getting" what goes on in the movie may be difficult without some knowledge of Japanese culture. In this podcast series, Japanese culture rese...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 1
•
9:42
Heroes or hypocrites? Buddhist soldier monks of middle-age Japan
Buddhist monks are not supposed to harm anyone, but "soldier monks" were a long-lasting profession in middle age Japan - why did these people arm themselves and why were they even allowed to exist?Podcast host Kyota Ko explains the hist...
•
Episode 38
•
12:09
Samurai were the fathers of Japanese goldfish
Samurai were not only busy swinging around swords and spears taking people's lives. They also gave life. To goldfish. Goldfish were mass-produced and became a popular pet among Japanese people in the 18th-19th century, thanks to a creative samu...
•
Episode 37
•
10:18
The thing with Japanese names
Many Japanese people didn't even have last names until around 150 years ago. In this short episode, show host Kyota Ko explains the background and potentially embarrassing secrets behind Japanese names. Check out
•
Episode 36
•
5:57
Japanese proverb: Turning to God in times of trouble
Japanese people are terrible at being religious. Shintoism allows Japanese people to be religious whenever and only when they need supernatural help. In this episode, show host Kyota Ko explains the meaning and cultural background...
•
Episode 35
•
8:36
Japanese proverb: "Waterfall climbs of feeble Koi"
The Japanese language, like any other language, has a rich inventory of witty and useful proverbs.In this short episode, show host Kyota Ko explains the meaning and cultural background behind the proverb 及ばぬ鯉の滝登り "Waterfall climbs of fe...
•
Episode 34
•
4:14
Japanese proverb: "No entry into a tiger's den brings about no capture of its cub"
The Japanese language, like any other language, has a rich inventory of witty and useful proverbs.In this short episode, show host Kyota Ko explains the meaning and cultural background behind the proverb 虎穴に入らずんば孤児を得ず "No entry into a t...
•
Episode 33
•
7:48
Japanese proverb: ”The minds of women and the autumn sky”
The Japanese language, like any other language, has a rich inventory of witty and useful proverbs. In this short episode, show host Kyota Ko explains the meaning and cultural background behind the Japanese proverb 女心と秋の空 "The minds of w...
•
Episode 32
•
6:12
The Japanese train experience of today and yesteryear
Trains are not just a transportation means or infrastructure in Japan, but a cultural experience. If your next trip is to a Japanese city such as Tokyo or Osaka, prep for it with this podcast to enrich your Japanese train experience. Ch...
•
Episode 31
•
12:36
Great Tokyo weekend hangouts: Nihonbashi
Nihonbashi is a must-go location for second-timers to Tokyo looking to experience a modern yet cultural Japan. As a Tokyo local, show host Kyota Ko introduces his reasons for having made Nihonbashi one of his favorite weekend hangout place....
•
Episode 30
•
16:03
Is Japan a stressful place to live? Yes, until you figure it out.
You hear it on the Internet. Japan is a paradise on Earth when you visit there as a tourist, but not so much when you try to live there. Many Japanese people will agree to that, as Japanese society can suffocate you with loads of rules and soci...
•
Episode 29
•
19:50
Hilarious! Early modern Japanese porno-artistic paintings “Shunga”
"Japanese culture, once upon a time, encouraged and celebrated sex openly. Now we do so secretly." Shungas are windows to the sexually liberal lives of 17th to 19th century Japanese people, and a vital hint to solving the mysterious gap...
•
Episode 28
•
15:19
When & how did samurais disappear from Japan?
Samurais used to rule Japan for over 9 centuries, but they are nowhere to be found anymore. Where did they go? Show host Kyota Ko explains how samurais disappeared from the face of Japan.Check out
•
Episode 27
•
18:16
Japanese horror stories that will break your positive Halloween spirit
Japan has a treasury of horror stories that will traumatize you and ruin your day, whether it be old folklore or modern urban myths. Show host Kyota Ko brings you one of each, to contribute some scare to your Halloween experience.
•
Episode 27
•
13:59
Spilling the tea of Japanese tea ceremony
What's the point of Japanese tea ceremony? Show host Kyota Ko explains in layman terms its enlightening goal, its link with Zen, its intriguing gimmicks, and why you should make it your next new hobby.Check out
•
Episode 25
•
22:53
Tsunayoshi: 17th century Japanese ruler with the ethics of the future
TOKUGAWA Tsunayoshi was an iconic ruler of Japan during the age of the samurais. Nicknamed Dog King, he is remembered as a maker of laws that beheaded people for killing or straying puppies, and was criticized for devaluing human lives.
•
Episode 24
•
16:43
How the world's most populated city, Tokyo, got itself to the top
Metro-Tokyo houses the world's biggest population at 37 million people, having gone through rapid growth at an unprecedented pace since the 17th century. As strange as it sounds, the driver of its population growth was in "disastrous losses."
•
Episode 23
•
19:14
The unromantic AND romantic reasons Japanese men suck at saying “I love you”
Japanese men are incapable of saying "I love you." There are a couple of cultural reasons behind it and they are both absurdly unromantic and romantic. The key lies in the Japanese language and Japanese history.Show host Kyota Ko gives ...
•
Episode 22
•
12:12
Japan used to be ruled by an incredible woman, HINO Tomiko
Japan is still a male-dominant society - on the surface. Throughout its history, Japan has seen women pulling strings behind the scene and HINO Tomiko is an extreme but great example representing how women often outsmart men in Japan.Sho...
•
Episode 21
•
22:10
Average stay: 12 years. Hidden secrets of employee retention & job security of Japanese businesses
Job retention in Japan is second highest in the world - employees stay at an organization for an average of 12 years. Employees just almost never get fired or laid off. Show host Kyota Ko explains the 400-year old reason behind the peculiar bus...
•
Episode 20
•
14:54
You're lucky you weren't born a samurai. But samurais are lovable.
Life was hard, and short, as a samurai. In battle, at home, at their work desk, death was always right around the corner, even after Japan had entered a long period of peace. But their stoicism is to be loved. Show host Kyota Ko describes the t...
•
Episode 19
•
14:48
Marketing lessons to learn from 16th century Japan
Influencer marketing and SEO. Some important marketing lessons that are applicable to business in our time can be learnt from equivalents in business activities of 16th century merchants of Edo City (the former name of Tokyo when samurais were ...
•
Episode 18
•
12:13
The cultural damage Japan is taking from COVID-19 pandemic
While Japan has kept COVID-19 casualties minimal, its culture has been taking damage slowly. How will Japanese culture be expressed now that it cannot be in traditional manners? Show host Kyota Ko explains the effects of the virus on th...
•
Episode 17
•
9:47